IA Talks Innovation

Straight from the FCA: Emerging Tech & Quantum—Opportunities, Risks, and Reality

In this episode of IA talks Innovation, we’re joined by the FCA’s Emerging Tech team, Fern Watson and Charlie Markham. We explore why the FCA is engaging with quantum now, where the most credible near and medium term use cases may emerge for asset managers, and what it will take to translate theoretical promise into commercial advantage. (We promise, we discuss in words and in mathematical equations!)

CEO Chatter: Ann Prendergast, IA's Chair on Innovation, Leadership and the Next Era of Asset Management

In this episode of IA Talks Innovation, James King and Shruti Deb are joined by Ann Prendergast, Chair of the Investment Association, for a candid conversation on how senior leaders are thinking about innovation today. The discussion explores how firms are moving from experimentation to industrial‑scale adoption, the evolving role of regulation in shaping innovation, and what this all means for talent and leadership in the years ahead.

FCA Announces New AI Partnership at Singapore FinTech Festival

Colin Payne, Head of Innovation at the FCA reflects on the Singapore FinTech Festival during which the FCA and Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced an AI Partnership between the two regulators, and a report was published on ways to bridge the digital assets “adoption gap”. The publication is a product of joint work between the regulators (FCA and the MAS), and the buy-side trade associations of each country (IA and the Investment Management Association of Singapore).  For more see:  1- https://www.fca.org.uk/news/press-releases/fca-partners-singapore-drive-growth-ai-innovation [https://www.fca.org.uk/news/press-releases/fca-partners-singapore-drive-growth-ai-innovation] 2- https://www.theia.org/sites/default/files/2025-11/Bridging%20the%20Adoption%20Gap%20-%20Aligning%20Digital%20Asset%20Offerings%20with%20Buy%20Side%20Requirements%20%20Nov25.pdf [https://www.theia.org/sites/default/files/2025-11/Bridging%20the%20Adoption%20Gap%20-%20Aligning%20Digital%20Asset%20Offerings%20with%20Buy%20Side%20Requirements%20%20Nov25.pdf]

Miranda's Musings

Join the IA Talks Innovation podcast as Miranda, Director of Market Insight and Fund Sectors at the IA, unpacks the latest Investment Management Survey, revealing how the UK industry is strutting its stuff with record-breaking growth, a surge in overseas and retail clients, and bold new looks in tech like AI, tokenization, and active ETFs. Tune in for headline stats, predictions for 2025. Miranda also offers insights into changing investor demographics, the challenges of market volatility, and the behind-the-scenes effort required to deliver this industry-defining report.

Thinking Outside the 'Box' - FCA consultation on Direct2Fund

In the second part of our interview with Nike Trost, Interim Director Buy-Side at FCA, we discuss the chapter of CP25/28 that covers direct dealing, also known as Direct2Fund. We also hear from Michael McNeil and Jane Thornton, the industry leaders who helped to shape the IA's proposals for this new optional alternative operating model to help give the UK funds industry a new way of innovating customer delivery. For more see the FCA's proposals at https://www.fca.org.uk/publications/consultation-papers/cp25-28-progressing-fund-tokenisation [https://www.fca.org.uk/publications/consultation-papers/cp25-28-progressing-fund-tokenisation] and the IA's resources for members at https://www.theia.org/fundoperations/D2F [https://www.theia.org/fundoperations/D2F]